Interlude
by Djinn1
Summary: This is for celticmusebooks. Happy birthday. Short but hopefully sweet.


Interlude

By Djinn

"You realize, you've never said 'I'm sorry,' right?" Chapel exercised a momentous amount of will and pushed Spock off her. "For nearly getting Len and Jim killed. For mentoring Valeris—I warned you about that bitch."

"You did."

"Say it. 'You were right, Christine.' Come on. Say it."

"You were right, Christine." He negated the amazing feeling of hearing those words finally coming from his mouth by rolling away from her.

"You weren't finished. Down there. Spock?"

He didn't move; just lay facing the wall.

"You're pouting? Really? Telling me I was right was that difficult?" She pulled him over—or tried to. Vulcan strength was a real bitch, but eventually she got leverage on her side and eased him to his back. Rolling her eyes at what babies men could be, she kissed her way down and down and...there. Let him try ignoring that.

He didn't—in fact, he came very loudly.

When she looked up, she realized his eyes were sparkling and whapped him on the thigh. "Damn it, Spock."

"You are astoundingly easy to manipulate." He pulled her in close. "I will finish what I was doing in a moment. Let me enjoy this."

"Enjoy?"

"Yes, enjoy. It has not been the most satisfying few weeks."

"No shit. I told you not to spring your secret mission on Jim. If you'd just talked to him..."

"Why didn't you tell him? If you felt so strongly?" He didn't sound angry, merely curious.

"I wasn't supposed to know about it. And you asked me to not tell." She sighed. "My job—I see and hear a lot. I don't talk about most of it. It's sort of second nature to keep shit to myself. Believe me, if a similar situation arises, I will not hesitate to give Jim and Len a heads-up."

He nestled into her, and she kissed his forehead. "Valeris—I did not anticipate her betrayal. Her true nature."

"You _couldn't_ see it. You were too proud that she wanted you for a mentor."

"She was most accomplished."

"And a full Vulcan. Who preferred you to other Vulcans ready and willing—even eager—to be her sponsor."

"Yes. I was...proud."

"Well, the old sayings are usually true. I'm just glad the fall wasn't fatal." She sighed. "I'm getting too old for this, Spock. Trying to pay attention to multiple emergencies while worrying about you—I've been in ops for too long."

"Then make a change." He eased away from her. "I am forming my team—a permanent one now."

"I know." It was, to be honest, why she was bringing it up. He wasn't the only one who could manipulate. But did she want to get her next assignment because she was sleeping with the boss?

Then again, that was sort of her business model.

"The skillset you would bring would be invaluable to me."

She laughed. "My skillset? You mean between the sheets."

"No. I mean between these." He touched her ears gently. "Your mind, your instincts, your intuition."

"You're still going to sleep with me?"

"You are my mate, Christine. I see no reason for that to change." He settled down next to her.

She stared at him. "Your...mate?"

He looked over. "Indeed. Did you not realize that?"

"We're not bonded."

"No. I know you would not want that kind of intimacy while you guard so many secrets."

"But you consider me your mate?"

"Do you not consider me yours?" He was actually frowning.

"Of course I do. I've loved you forever."

"Hyperbole."

She whapped him again, on the arm this time.

His frown disappeared, and he pulled her closer. "I will excuse the exaggeration since the sentiment is welcome."

"We're mates." She smiled, liking the sound of it. "Did Valeris know?"

A sharp puff of air was her answer—she'd made him laugh. He did that so rarely. "Of course she knew. I made it quite clear."

"You made it quite clear when? Did she try something?" She pretended to try to escape from his arms. "Let me at her before the Klingons take her."

"She tried. I refused. It was a simple matter."

"Probably not for her." She nuzzled his neck, then whispered in his ear, "And weren't you going to finish something?"

"I was." He pushed her to her back and kissed her more tenderly than was his norm. "I regret you did not realize we are mates."

"It's okay. It's a nice surprise. And it's not like I thought we were just friends who sleep together occasionally." He was hers and had been since he died and came back, open to her finally once he'd finished reintegrating his memories—and had a big nudge from his brother. She was almost sorry she hadn't met this Vulcan so intent on embracing emotions.

He smoothed back her hair. "So, shall I put you on the roster for my team?"

"Yes." She pulled him down and gave him a kiss that was more tender than her norm, too. She could have lost him—would undoubtedly face that again in the future. She wanted to be there, to see the scenarios, to call bullshit on his plans—to save him. She wanted to save him.

Hubris, no doubt. But seeing crap coming down the pike was what Starfleet paid her to do. Seeing it and planning for how to deal with it.

She forgot all about the future as Spock kissed his way down her body, taking a very long time to finish her off. She was writhing when he finally let her come.

"Holy shit."

A small tick of the lips told her he liked that reaction.

But then, she'd known he would.

FIN


End file.
